Big Thinkers (video game series)
Short-lived educational series with shape-shifting siblings.
Big Thinkers is a short-lived series of educational games from Humongous Entertainment, revolving around siblings Ben and Becky Brightly, who can shape-shift into any object. The series includes two titles, Big Thinkers! Kindergarten and Big Thinkers! 1st Grade, both released on October 17, 1997, and conceived by Jonathan Maier. A planned third game, Big Thinkers! 2nd Grade, was abandoned due to the difficulty of developing three games simultaneously and poor sales of the first two titles.
- developer
- Humongous Entertainment
- release_date
- October 17, 1997
- number_of_games
- 2 (Kindergarten and 1st Grade)
- protagonists
- Ben and Becky Brightly
- voice_actors
- Mike Shapiro (Ben), Karen Kay Cody (Becky)
- conceived_by
- Jonathan Maier
Lore & Background
The Big Thinkers series was designed as a grade-specific learning program. Players interact with Ben and Becky as objects while exploring a house and playing sixteen mini-games to earn stars of five colors: red (Reading/English), yellow (Art/Creativity), green (Thinking Skills/Spatial Recognition), blue (Math/Computation), and purple (Physical Science/Social Science). Collecting enough stars allows a chance at a longer mini-game for a larger dull orange star. The house layout is the same in both games, except the woods in Kindergarten is replaced with a garage in 1st Grade. Many mini-games appear in both titles but differ between them. Big Thinkers! Kindergarten taught skills such as measurements, spelling, and letter identification, building upon national curriculum standards for kindergarten students.
Reader's Guide
The Big Thinkers series holds a mixed legacy within Humongous Entertainment's catalog. While the company produced popular, replayable series like Putt-Putt and Freddi Fish, Big Thinkers was met with a 'universal yawn' according to The Boston Herald. Critics noted that protagonists Ben and Becky 'fail to ignite sympathy' and that some activities were dull and insoluble, though others were deemed age-appropriate and amusing. The Rocky Mountain News found the series uncaptivating, confusing, and frustrating, with navigation being a significant issue. However, The Washington Times called Kindergarten 'skill-sharpening', and Humpty Dumpty Magazine praised its 'many great games'. ReviewCorner noted Kindergarten was 'busier' and more challenging than competitors. Discovery Education observed that many first-graders might find 1st Grade too challenging. The series' significance lies in its ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful attempt to create a grade-specific learning program, abandoned after two titles due to poor sales and overambitious development.
Did You Know?
- Ben and Becky Brightly were voiced by Mike Shapiro and Karen Kay Cody, respectively.
- Both Big Thinkers! Kindergarten and Big Thinkers! 1st Grade were released on the same date, October 17, 1997.
- A third game, Big Thinkers! 2nd Grade, was planned for 1998 but abandoned due to the difficulty of developing three games at once and poor sales.
- The house layout in Big Thinkers! 1st Grade replaces the woods from Kindergarten with a garage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Big Thinkers video game series?
Big Thinkers is a brief educational game line from Humongous Entertainment that follows two shape-shifting siblings, Ben and Becky Brightly, as they tackle kindergarten and first-grade lessons. Only two titles were ever published before the series was dropped.
Who are the main characters in Big Thinkers?
The series stars Ben and Becky Brightly, a brother-and-sister duo who can transform into any object they come across. Mike Shapiro voices Ben and Karen Kay Cody voices Becky.
When was Big Thinkers released and who made it?
Both Big Thinkers! Kindergarten and Big Thinkers! 1st Grade launched on October 17, 1997, under the Humongous Entertainment banner. The concept was conceived by Jonathan Maier.
Why was Big Thinkers! 2nd Grade never released?
A third entry aimed at second graders was in the works but got shelved. The studio cited the logistical strain of juggling three simultaneous game projects along with disappointing sales of the first two titles.
How many games are in the Big Thinkers series?
Just two: Big Thinkers! Kindergarten and Big Thinkers! 1st Grade. Despite an announced 2nd Grade follow-up, the franchise ended at two entries.
More in Humongous Entertainment games 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record